The GAOMON PD1561 V2 arrives as a refresh of a graphics tablet that had been trying for several years to carve out a niche among those who want to draw directly on the screen without paying the price of professional models. This second version maintains the 15,6-inch format and Full HD resolution, but improves precisely the aspects that most affect daily use: a laminated screen, a more sensitive pen, better color reproduction, and USB-C connectivity.
On paper, it might seem like a conservative evolution, but the change becomes clearer once you start working with it. The reduced space between the pen tip and the cursor makes the strokes feel more natural, the pen responds to very light pressure, and the ten side keys allow you to rely less on the keyboard. It's not a standalone tablet, nor does it aim to compete with an iPad: it needs to remain connected to a computer or a compatible Android device. Its goal is to offer a large and precise workspace for illustration, retouching, modeling, and design.
Design and ergonomics
The PD1561 V2 maintains a fairly functional design. The body is made primarily of black plastic, with relatively thick bezels and a side area reserved for shortcut buttons. It doesn't have the minimalist look of more expensive graphics cards, but the build quality feels solid, and there are no worrying creaks when moving it or changing its tilt.
It weighs 1,58 kg, plus the stand and cables. It's portable thanks to the included carrying case, although it's not designed to be tossed out of a backpack just anywhere. It takes up roughly the same space as a 15-inch laptop and requires a table with some depth to position it comfortably.
The included metal stand allows you to adjust the tilt between 10 and 90 degrees. It's stable in mid-positions, which are the most comfortable for drawing, although some movement can occur if you place the screen very low and rest your hand too firmly. The base is rubberized, but the tablet itself doesn't have many anti-slip points. It's not a major issue, but some small additional pads would significantly improve stability.
It also features a 100 x 100 mm VESA mount . This allows you to use a monitor arm and free up desk space, a particularly useful option if you frequently switch between drawing, editing, and using it as a second screen.
Screen and image quality
The 15,6-inch IPS panel has a resolution of 1.920 x 1.080 pixels. The workspace is ample, allowing you to keep the tools in Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, or Krita visible without the canvas being reduced to a small window. It's a very comfortable size for illustration and drawing: large enough to move your arm freely, but without taking up half the desk.
The Full HD resolution is adequate, although upon closer inspection, the pixels are more easily visible than on a 2K or 4K screen. Small text and some interface elements aren't exceptionally sharp, but this quickly becomes less noticeable during drawing. Increasing the resolution would have made the package more expensive and placed more demands on the computer, so this balance makes sense within this price range.
The most significant improvement is the full lamination. The image layer and the drawing surface are much closer together, reducing the feeling that the cursor is a few millimeters below the pen. After calibration, the alignment is quite precise, even when working near the edges. There is still a minimal gap due to the thickness of the glass, but it doesn't interfere with inking or making short strokes.
The surface has an anti-reflective coating that adds a slight resistance. The pencil doesn't glide as if we were drawing on perfectly polished glass, but it also doesn't exactly reproduce the texture of paper.
Color reproduction is one of its strengths. It covers 99% of the sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces, has an 8-bit depth, and allows you to select color modes from the on-screen menu. The tones appear balanced and are suitable for illustration, digital content, and photo editing for the web.
Pencil and drawing experience
The new G Pen AP51 is probably our favorite feature of the package. It works using electromagnetic resonance, so it doesn't need a battery and you don't have to remember to charge it. It has a relatively thick body, a silicone grip, and two configurable side buttons.
Its 16.384 levels of pressure sensitivity sound impressive, although in practice it's difficult to distinguish them from a good 8.192-level system. What's truly important is its low activation force. We can start a line with very little pressure on the tip, which makes it easy to create smooth sketches, shade, or finish a stroke gradually without any abrupt cuts.
It also recognizes tilts of up to 60 degrees. With compatible brushes, this allows shading using the side of the tip or changing the stroke shape as you would with a traditional pencil. Not all programs interpret tilt in the same way, but in applications like Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop, it provides a real creative tool.
Keys, controllers and connectivity
The ten side keys can be configured from the controller. We can assign actions such as undo, change brush, resize, activate the eraser, or move the canvas. They have a clear, tactile click and are within easy reach of the left hand, although it would have been nice to include a zoom wheel.
On the other side, there are five buttons for navigating the OSD menu. These allow you to adjust brightness, contrast, color temperature, and various image modes. They are physical buttons and not particularly elegant, but they are more reliable than touch controls that are difficult to locate while working.
The most convenient connection is made with a single USB-C cable, provided the computer has a full-size DisplayPort video port. The problem is that this cable isn't included. The box contains an HDMI cable and a USB power and data cable, a combination that works fine, but leaves more cables cluttering the desk.
Editor's opinion
The GAOMON PD1561 V2 strikes us as a very well-balanced graphics display for students, beginner illustrators, and users looking to move beyond a screenless tablet. The 15,6-inch surface offers ample space, the laminated panel greatly enhances visual accuracy, and the G Pen responds well even with very light strokes.
Its official price is €299 . At that price, it's not an impulse buy, but it's competitive considering the laminated screen, stand, case, stylus, and color reproduction. It's not the right choice for those who need a very bright screen or work professionally with wide Adobe RGB color spaces, but for digital illustration, comics, design, and learning, it offers a compelling experience.
It has a modest screen in terms of brightness and resolution, but drawing on it feels precise, comfortable, and natural. And on a graphics tablet, that feeling matters far more than filling the box with impressive numbers.